New Agency To Govern Croatian National Property

Croatian PM reminded of the decision to dissolve the Privatisation Fund, passed in 2007 after the Maestro corruption scandal.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - Croatian state top has announced a concept, according to which Croatian national property would be governed from a single place, i.e. an agency.

After a sitting of the Defence Council at the president`s office, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said that a decision has been made to give all funds raised from licensing military property for the necessities of the military, and a single agency will be established to govern state property.

- We were given complete information at the Council that the companies dealing with managing these objects are now being reorganised and a single agency will be established which will manage all state property. What will be given from the military for concession, this will be used to improve the financial situation in the military, therefore fore their greater standard – Mesic told reporters after the sitting.

The options and time framework of constructing military combat armoured vehicles were discussed, as it was “heading according to plan”, Croatian President Mesic said, adding that they also discussed the procurement of new ships and planes.

- The dynamic will depend on our economic and financial possibilities. We have not yet determined the exact date when things will be finalised – Mesic said.

Both the president and the PM pointed out that the Croatian Army and the Defence Ministry conducted reorganisations according to NATO standards and that they were ready for full NATO membership, announced at the upcoming summit on April 3 and 4 in Strasbourg and Kehl.

- Of course, as we said, we expect everything will go as it should in Slovenia, which means that there will be no referendum and that Croatia will access NATO at that summit – Croatian Prime Minster Ivo Sanader added.